The compensating double horn by Carl
Lehman & Co. shown above is a fine example
of a "walzen" horn. The term "walzen" (German for
roller, barrel, or drum) describes the large
rotary change valve in the center of the horn. The
horn dates from about 1925 and the label (below)
states that patents are pending in Germany and foreign
countries. 1

On April 29, 1909 Otto Tiedt
received Deutsches
Reich Patent 222527 for Doppelblechblasinstrument,
entstanden durch Vereinigung zweier
Instrumente verschiedener Stimmung in einem
Instrument (Double brass wind instrument,
created by combining two instruments of
different keys into one instrument, diagram
above left). 2 This a full double horn with
three single valves and one eight-story
("Walzen") change valve, operated by the thumb.
The single valves are connected to the change
valve through six parallel tubes. The two ports
for each slide are arranged side-by-side along
the length of the change valve which switches
between the F and B♭ slides. The two other
"stories" are for the F extension. The rotor of
the change valve turns 120 degrees between the
two sets of full-length F and B♭ slides. The
advantage of this design over a full double horn
is the lighter touch of single-story main valves
instead of the two-story valves of the typical
double. The disadvantages are that the second
valve slide of the B♭ side is too short to be
pulled for tuning, and the leverage and weight
of the massive change valve rotor. Nevertheless,
this valve was used on horns, trumpets, and
tubas as shown in the C.A. Wunderlich Catalog,
ca. 1935 (see below, left).

Sixteen years after Tiedt's patent, Carl
Lehmann and Erdmann Chemnitzer received
the patent for the change valve on the horn shown at
the top of this page. As on the Tiedt horn the
main valves are single (one-story) rotors. Unlike
Tiedt's patent, however, this valve is for a
"compensating" double horn. The ports are arranged on
opposite sides of the instead of side-by-side, so it
is only a four-story valve, half the length of the
Tiedt valve (see diagram above right). In this design
the B♭ slides are located between the main valves and
the change valve, with additional "compensating"
slides for the F horn on the opposite side of the
change valve. The change valve adds proportional
supplemental tubing to the B♭ slides. One advantage of
a compensating horn is its lighter weight since tubing
is shared between the F and B♭ slides. In
comparison to the Tiedt change valve the rotor is also
much lighter and only has to rotate ninety degrees. In
addition to Carl Lehman & Co. horns of this design
were also produced by the firms August Knopf3,
Joesf
Lidl, and other makers.

Zeitschrft für Instrumentenbau,
February 2, 1930

On November 21, 1929 Kurt August Knopf
received Gebrauchsmusterschutz
(D.R.G.M.) 1099255 for a compensating double horn
having a the usual three single valves, plus a
fourth single valve coupled to a three-story
walzen change valve (see the notice above and
catalog illustration below right). The fourth
valve replaces the fourth story of the
Lehmann/Chemnitzer valve that switches the
F-extension. According to Heyde this was a rather
well-known Knopf model until 1945 but, since the
switching was a little hard, it gradually fell
into disuse after World War II. In the ultimate
modification of the Lehmann/Chemnitzer model, August
Dummuscheidt in Frankfurt (Main) received a
patent (DRP
518837, May 11, 1930) for a compensating
horn in which the walzen valve is replaced
entirely with four single valves connected in
tandem. In another variation, the Gebroeders
De Prins in Anvers, Belgium patented and
built the "Radio
Wonder Hoorn" in which the three piston
valves operated by a series of levers replace the
single rotary valves. It is a compensating horn
with the Lehmann/Chemninzer change valve.

Chistopher
Cornford has developed with Peter
Steidle a compensating triple horn, which is
marketed under the name: Mod. 3 S, incorporating a
four-story Lehmann/Chemnitzer valve.

Three variations on the Lehmann Walzen horn
are shown here. The horn that Josef
Suttner (above left) is holding a Walzen horn
probably made by August Knopf. Helen Enser
(above right) is holding a slightly different version
probably by another maker, and her teacher and good
friend of Suttner, Josef
Franzl (right), is holding yet a third slightly
different version, although the over-the-top valve lever
linkage appears to be the same as that shown in the
Knopf catalog illustration show above.

Below left, album cover of Josef Hobik, former
principal horn in the Czech Philharmonic, Prague Radio
Symphony, and Prague National Theatre Opera
Company. Below right, the dust cover of Robin
Gregory's excellent book shows a Walzen horn. It is not
identified in the text but appears to be the "Acustic"
model by Josef Lidl.

2. In addition
to this horn valve patent Otto Tiedt of Hagen, Westphalia
was awarded four other patents: On March 6, 1919 he
received Deutsches Reich Patent
315507 for a Ventilmechanik für Blasinstrument
(valve mechanism for brass instruments). Through a
series of interconnected levers the functions of two
rotary valves are combined into one single valve having
two slides. When the valve palette is be pressed
downward in the usual manner one valve slide is engaged.
The palette may also be pushed horizontally to engage both
slides simultaneously. So, for example, if the slides are
both the length of the usual second valve (half tone) then
it functions as a second valve when pressed downward but
as a first valve (whole tone) when pushed horizontally.
Herr Tiedt saw a need for such a mechanism for musicians
who had lost a finger during World War I (perhaps
himself?). The next year on July 4, 1920 Herr
Tiedt was awarded DRP 335100
for Verdecktes Orchester für Theater
(Concealed Orchestra for the Theater). His idea was
to build the orchestra pit under the floor of the audience
instead of in front of the stage. The conductor would face
away from the stage, with a mirror to see the
singers. DRP 528853,
dated April 11, 1930, is for a six-valve horn, having the
same compass as the modern triple horn in F, B♭ and
f-alto. Using only single valves, it employed
five keys aarranged so that they could be pressed in all
combinations using four fingers plus one single thumb
valve. Herr Tiedt's last patent, DRP 1603202 (November
26, 1948), was for an improved fastener for trouser
suspenders, (back)

3. See Brüchle
and Janetzky (1976) plate 245 for a photo of an August
Knopf compensating double horn in B♭ and F with the
original Lehmann and Chemnitzer four-story walzen valve
(ca. 1937) owned by Helmut Englert, Thanning, and plates
247 -251 for photos of Herbert Fritz Knopf showing steps
in the process of making this model, ca. 1950. (back)